Page 6 of Sinful Mafia Prince

Well, in any kind of paternal capacity.

“You look like my Gabriella. They had said, but…” Fiore nodded. “The resemblance is quite uncanny. No wonder Rossetti was flaunting you about. He knew word would get back to me to corroborate Ennio’s story.”

Luca shook his head. “Look, I don’t care about any of this. You, the Rossettis, whatever feud you have going on. I don’t want any part of it. I just want to go home.”

Fiore rested his thick forearms on the arms of his seat. “This is your home.”

Luca almost laughed, but caught himself. “I…I’ve never been here before.”

“Yes you have.”

Luca looked around the living room at the outdated décor. “No I haven’t. I think I would remember.”

“You were born here, Luca.”

Wait…what?

“Upstairs in one of the main rooms. As were all my sons.”

Luca’s mind began to spin, and his eyes immediately flicked to the ceiling as though he could see the room under discussion. But all he saw, as the impact of what he’d just been told continued to hit him over and over again, was a tacky chandelier hanging above his head.

“Your mother very much wants to see you.”

“She’s not my mother,” Luca snapped, and for the first time since Fiore had walked into the room, his eyes grew cold.

“Sheis the woman who birthed you, fed you, and gave you life.” He leaned forward in his seat and pinned Luca with a stare that made his blood turn to ice. “You will not disrespect her again.”

Luca chewed on the inside of his cheek, his instincts telling him to obey and keep his mouth shut. But he was done playing the victim, the scared little hostage. He’d done enough of that at the Rossettis.

“I just meant I don’t know her. My mother lives in Connecticut—”

“No. The people we gave you to live in Connecticut. They owed us a debt. You are not theirs any more than that house is your home. You are mine and my wife’s son, and it’s time for you to come home.”

Oh my God.This man was crazy. He expected Luca to pack a bag and move in with no care to his life. No care to his family—or the only family he knew…

“I’m not doing that. I’m an adult and I have a life. You can’t just order me home because you suddenly want me here.”

“I don’t want you here.”

The words were like a knife, and while Luca didn’t really care what this man thought of him, to hear his own father tell him he wasn’t wanted was more offensive than he’d expected.

“Ineedyou here. You’re my heir. Your place is now here with me. Whatever freedom you had before ends today; you don’t have a choice.”

Luca blinked, shock settling in as Fiore shifted to the edge of the seat and pushed his hefty body to his feet. He walked across the room to Luca and stared down at him, a disgruntled look on his face. Then, without a word, he turned and headed to the door he’d originally come through.

Please let him be leaving. Please let him be leaving…

Luca wouldn’t be that lucky, though. He wouldn’t be lucky ever again.

Whatever freedom you had before ends today; you don’t have a choice.

Where the hell did these people get off thinking they had the power to decide someone else’s fate? First the Rossettis, now the Fiores, both of them telling him his life was basically over. This couldn’t be reality. This man—hisfather, even though he shuddered to use the term—couldn’t possibly think Luca would ever be forced into this. He’d rather die.

His stomach sank as those three words ran through his head again.

He’d ratherdiethan live without his freedom. It was a sobering thought, and also the reason he didn’t hear Fiore amble back into the room.

He wasn’t alone, though. Behind him, Gabriella peered around her husband, and when she got a good look at Luca, a soft gasp left her. She left Fiore’s side to move in Luca’s direction, but when he flinched as she reached out to him, her face fell and she dropped her hands. She looked down nervously at the couch and sat on the other end, giving Luca space.

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